Ariana Grande has been a mainstay on the Billboard Hot 100 since "The Way" was released in 2013.

But following the release of her 2018 album "Sweetener," Grande reached a new, astronomical level of popularity. At one point, she even held all three top spots on the chart — becoming just the second artist to do so, after The Beatles, in the history of the Hot 100.

But a collaboration between three of pop's most powerful women really should've packed more of a punch. The interpolation of the "Charlie's Angels" theme works fairly well, but the song's production beyond that often feels hollow.

17. "Boyfriend" featuring Social House

"Boyfriend" is a breezy, sparkling song. The collaboration with her close friends and "Thank U, Next" producers, Mikey Foster and Charles "Scootie" Anderson, feels effortless and fun — especially in the delightful music video.

16. "Break Free"

"Break Free" is beloved by Grande fans, particularly because its theme resonates with her LGBTQ base. And for its time, the Zedd-produced song was the perfect way to stake Grande's place on the charts. It proved that her success wasn't all thanks to Max Martin's brilliant production on "Problem."

But that doesn't mean "Break Free" aged spectacularly well. Years later, its heavy focus on EDM can be very grating, and its lyrics are laughably empty compared to Grande's more recent efforts.

15. "NASA"

Ariana Grande performs "NASA" on March 18, 2019 during the "Sweetener World Tour."
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande

Chart history: Peaked at No. 17

On any other album, "NASA" would be the highest of highlights. But on "Thank U, Next," it pales in comparison to masterful songs like "Needy," "Fake Smile," and "In My Head."

Of course, that's not to say the song isn't good. It's an ideal arena song — seemingly designed for fans to scream along with and dance to. Plus, its extended space metaphor fits Grande's current brand perfectly. But these strengths make "NASA" a perfect song for this exact moment in Grande's career. We don't see it having the same lasting impact as some of her more iconic tracks.

14. "Love Me Harder" featuring The Weeknd

"Love Me Harder" is an excellent example of Grande's ear for R&B-inspired hooks and artist features. The Weeknd's voice — especially when it mingles with Grande's airy vocals in the second chorus — fits seamlessly into the heady, sultry tone of the song.

Mere months ago, "Love Me Harder" would've been placed much higher on our ranking. But now, it suffers purely by virtue of Grande's impressive catalogue and her continual growth as an artist. When stacked against some of her more inventive singles, particularly the increasing number that boast R&B influences, its replay value doesn't hold up quite as well.

11. "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored"

If nothing else, "Break Up With Your Girlfriend" is a lesson in image control. After baring her soul for 11 straight songs, the closing track of "Thank U, Next" finally sees Grande cut loose.

"i think it's funny," Grande said of the track. "i liked the idea of ending a more honest n vulnerable project and with like a punchline."

As Rob Sheffield wrote for Rolling Stone, "It's the perfect way to end this album — after crying her tears and screaming her screams and feeling her feels, Ari flirts with the bartender on her way out, ready for more punishment."

10. "Problem" featuring Iggy Azalea

"Problem" is arguably the entire reason why Nicki Minaj was justified in rapping, "Ariana run pop," in 2016. The dynamic, jazzy single helped define Grande as a force to be reckoned with on the charts, and as someone who always has her finger on the pulse of musical trends.

In addition to dishing out some pretty solid life advice, "Problem" has so much going for it, as John Walker described for MTV when it dropped: "Ari's on-point vocals to the 'Get Right'-meets-'Talk Dirty' horns — and let's not forget that Ying Yang Twins-esque whispering."

8. "Dangerous Woman"

"Dangerous Woman," the Grammy-nominated title track from Grande's third album, marked a turning point in Grande's career. It seemed like her public image had finally begun to align with her sense of self.

7. "Side to Side" featuring Nicki Minaj

"Yours Truly," "My Everything," and the single "Dangerous Woman" had illustrated Grande as a pop star with attitude, R&B influences, and Broadway-worthy vocal riffs. "Focus" and "Into You" were pure pop songs.

So what would Grande bring to the table next? A reggae/dancehall banger, of course. Simply because she can.

"The way we always approach it is like, her and I would talk a lot about what would be different," songwriter Savan Kotecha revealed to Rolling Stone about his process creating music with Grande.

"She's the best singer in the world in her generation. 'What's a melody language that's no one heard you do?'" he continued. "Mariah Carey never did a reggae song, let's do a reggae song: 'Side to Side' is born."

6. "One Last Time"

From the sparkling three-note synth line that introduces the track to the powerful chorus that swells along with her voice, "One Last Time" is a classic Ariana Grande song.

Unlike some of her other electro-pop hits, "One Last Time" is rich but still minimal, both ambitious and emotional, allowing for Grande's virtuosic vocals to shine.

On top of its enduring catchiness and heartfelt delivery, this song holds an especially important place in Grande's discography. After the 2017 bombing at Grande's concert in Manchester, fans reclaimed "One Last Time" as a tribute to the 22 victims — and to Grande's resilience in times of darkness.

5. "No Tears Left to Cry"

The 2018 "No Tears Left to Cry" music video was directed by Dave Meyers.
Ariana Grande/YouTube

Chart history: Peaked at No. 3

"No Tears Left to Cry," the lead single from Grande's Grammy-winning album "Sweetener," was a bold choice to introduce fans to her new era. It teases you with a ballad but suddenly surges, adopting a cheekily unconventional structure that mixes spoken word poetry and impressive vocal riffs.

"No Tears" may have surprised fans at first, but Grande warned us: She was, indeed, "pickin' it up." It's Grande's most inventive song to date and flawlessly illustrates "Sweetener's" frothy, boldly optimistic state of mind.

Given the devastating situation that Grande had experienced the year prior, "No Tears" is almost psychotically positive. But, as a testament to Grande's strength and gravity, it never feels unauthentic. When she invites us to join her on "another mentality," we accept.

4. "Needy"

Ariana Grande performs on May 7, 2019 during the "Sweetener World Tour."
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AG

It evokes the impending doom of a failing relationship: apologies sent via text, going to bed without saying goodnight, the lonely echo of an empty apartment. It clocks in at under three minutes, and yet manages to synthesize a veritable feast of emotions: longing, guilt, resentment, desire, quiet dread. Put simply, "Needy" is mesmerizing, acting as both confession and catharsis.

3. "God Is a Woman"

"God Is a Woman" is a truly sublime track. It's easily Grande at her most assertive. She's hungry for worship and totally deserving, no longer demanding to be part of the conversation: Grande is the conversation, and she uses her power for liberation.

As Grande herself put it, during a 2018 interview with The Fader: "I've always just been like a shiny, singing, 5-6-7-8, sexy-dance, sexy thing. But now it's like, 'OK, issa bop — but issa message. Issa bop but also has chunks of my soul in it. Here you go."

"people truly just weren't ready to comprehend that many layers of emotion," she later wrote on Twitter, trying to explain why the song didn't top the chart. "it's like 'run away with me' it's 2 much for the half-open heart."

She transcended every expectation and implicit restriction that had been placed upon her. For a song that literally name-drops her exes, the message is sharply universal. For anyone that's been through a breakup, Grande's gratitude and resilience truly hits home.